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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24295054">Welcome to the family</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/eleventhousands/pseuds/eleventhousands'>eleventhousands</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Emma's Juliantina Appreciation Week #2 [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Amar a Muerte (TV), Juliantina - Fandom</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/F, Fluff, Meet the Family, meet the parents</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 01:35:01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,866</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24295054</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/eleventhousands/pseuds/eleventhousands</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Day 3 of Juliantina Appreciation Week #2 - Scene you want to see in the movie or wish was in the show</p><p>Juliana meets Lucia for the 'first time'.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Lucía Borges &amp; Valentina Carvajal, Valentina Carvajal &amp; Juliana Valdés, Valentina Carvajal/Juliana Valdés</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Emma's Juliantina Appreciation Week #2 [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1742257</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>92</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Welcome to the family</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Lucia? Dead? Not in this universe!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>.................</p><p> </p><p>“I’ve already met Lucia though, Val.” Juliana explained. “When she came round asking questions about Jacobo and Chino.”</p><p> </p><p>“No, I know.” Valentina replied, a grin spreading onto her face. “But this will be meeting her in an official capacity.”</p><p> </p><p>Juliana rolled her eyes.</p><p> </p><p>“An ‘official capacity’?”</p><p> </p><p>“Yes, as my girlfriend.” Valentina explained.</p><p> </p><p>“She knows I’m your girlfriend, Val.” Juliana replied. "You told me you told her." </p><p> </p><p>“You haven’t met her yet, though.” Valentina pointed out.</p><p> </p><p>“Do I have to meet her at a dinner party?”</p><p> </p><p>“It’s not a dinner party.” Valentina replied with a sigh. “I just want to welcome her back from hospital in the best way I can.”</p><p> </p><p>“I know that, but why does everything in your house have to be so formal?”</p><p> </p><p>“It’s not formal.” Valentina frowned.</p><p> </p><p>Juliana started laughing.</p><p> </p><p>“Val...” She started. “Silvina asked me if I had any dietary requirements!”</p><p> </p><p>“Only so she could cook something you like.” Valentina replied.</p><p> </p><p>“I like what she cooks.” Juliana replied. “And I liked her Coq-Au-whatever-it-was...”</p><p> </p><p>Now Valentina was the one to laugh.</p><p> </p><p>“You mean her Coq Au Vin?” She teased.</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah, that!” Juliana said. “She could make that again?”</p><p> </p><p>“You thought it had coconut in it!”</p><p> </p><p>Juliana blushed. It wasn’t her fault she had never heard of the traditional French dish before. Her culinary tastes from around the globe were usually limited to pizza.</p><p> </p><p>Valentina saved her girlfriend from further embarrassment.</p><p> </p><p>“Chivis has loads of different recipes that you still need to try.” She explained. “So, we’ll have something different this time.”</p><p> </p><p>“Fine.” Juliana sighed. She felt like she was going to have to give in to Valentina’s insistence to make the evening special.</p><p> </p><p>“Now, <em>please</em> can you help me choose which heels I should wear?” Valentina asked. Her tone was close to a beg as she reminded her girlfriend what had started their conversation.</p><p> </p><p>Juliana looked down at the choices on offer and sighed. The number of shoes strewn all over Valentina’s bedroom floor was so high that Juliana couldn’t count them all. A minute ago, Valentina had collected them from all corners of her bedroom. She had even sneaked into Eva's room to retrieve a few pairs of her sister's heels. No wonder Valentina needed help deciding which ones to wear when she had this many to choose from. Way too many, Juliana concluded. But perhaps she shouldn’t have expected anything less from the daughter of the richest man in Mexico.</p><p> </p><p>That being said, the sight of them made Juliana smile. Fashion was one of her favourite topics of conversation and Valentina was earnestly asking for her opinion. Both because Juliana loved fashion and because she was her girlfriend.</p><p> </p><p>Valentina's outfit choice lay draped over the bed. It was a bold choice, featuring emerald and black sequins with long sleeves and an open back. Juliana used it to inform her choice of shoes and she was determined that they matched perfectly.</p><p> </p><p>Eventually, she pointed at a pair of simple black shoes with tall heels.</p><p> </p><p>“Those ones.” She announced.</p><p> </p><p>Valentina raised her eyebrows in surprise. Over all the colourful, sparkly and sequined ones on offer, Juliana had picked a pair of plain black shoes.</p><p> </p><p>“You think?”</p><p> </p><p>“Yes, Val.” Juliana smiled at how Valentina was questioning her decision.  “Your dress is the main event." She explained. “You want all the focus on your dress and so you don’t want to draw attention to your shoes, therefore, I picked a plain pair that will complement your dress rather than overshadow it.”</p><p> </p><p>Valentina thought about this for a moment before shrugging and smiling at her fashion designer girlfriend, “You’re the expert!”</p><p> </p><p>“Expert?!” Juliana asked. “I haven’t even started my course yet.”</p><p> </p><p>“You’re more expert than me, ok?” Valentina replied, before grinning and extending her hand towards her girlfriend. “Anyway, now it’s time to choose your outfit.”</p><p> </p><p>Juliana frowned and gestured at herself.</p><p> </p><p>“You don’t think this will do?”</p><p> </p><p>Valentina shook her head. Even if Juliana was joking, she was certain of one thing - her girlfriend was not going to meet her stepmom while wearing Converses.</p><p> </p><p>____________</p><p> </p><p>Three hours later, Juliana found herself standing in the Carvajal mansion living room, wearing a dark red dress and matching heels. Her outfit was Valentina's choice, and Juliana was glad she had let her girlfriend pick. At first, she had felt a little stuffy wearing a dress like this when they weren't actually going anywhere tonight. All they had done was head downstairs to the living room of the Carvajal mansion before Valentina had disappeared, claiming she would be back in a minute, leaving Juliana alone.</p><p> </p><p>As she watched Renata dust of the shoulders of Guille’s dinner jacket and listened to the sounds of classical music blaring out from the speakers, Juliana felt like her outfit fitted in. But she wondered how on earth her girlfriend could have ever claimed this evening was going to be anything other than formal.</p><p> </p><p>Juliana felt like she was in a parallel universe. One where she was about to attend an opera rather than welcome someone home from hospital.</p><p> </p><p>Out of nowhere, Valentina reappeared and thrust a champagne flute into her hands.</p><p> </p><p>“Here’s your aperitif.” Valentina announced, and then continued when she saw the confused look on Juliana’s face. “Don’t worry, yours is sparkling water.” She explained, before gesturing to her own glass. “Everyone else has champagne, but I didn’t want you to feel left out.”</p><p> </p><p>Juliana nodded. The drink Valentina had handed her didn’t do much to expel her feelings about tonight not being formal, even if it was just sparkling water, she didn’t think she had ever held a champagne flute before.</p><p> </p><p>As she took a sip of her drink, confirming that her girlfriend had lovingly provided her with a non-alcoholic drink that evening without her having to ask, Juliana frowned again. She still didn’t understand what Valentina meant about something. She moved towards her girlfriend, having to go on her tippy-toes to reach Valentina’s ear.</p><p> </p><p>“What’s an aperitif?” She asked, keeping her voice low in the hope that no one else could hear her question.</p><p> </p><p>Valentina laughed quietly as she bent down and placed a kiss on Juliana’s cheek.</p><p> </p><p>“It’s a pre-dinner drink.” Valentina explained as Juliana felt her cheeks flush red. “Supposed to get you in the mood for eating the meal... or something... I don’t really know...”</p><p> </p><p>Valentina shrugged casually as she trailed off.</p><p> </p><p>Juliana frowned again. She now understood what an aperitif was, but that didn’t stop her from feeling completely out of place. There was nothing casual about tonight. Why did it have to be so formal? Why did things at Valentina’s house have to always involve so many French words she didn’t know?</p><p> </p><p>Juliana looked down and began to stare intensely at the drink in her hands. The champagne flute was probably real crystal, meaning it cost hundreds, maybe thousands, and Juliana reflected on the fact that she had probably never held something so expensive. She sighed. She didn’t even want to start thinking about the cost of the champagne the others were drinking. One sip was probably her hourly wage from working a shift at Perlita’s restaurant.</p><p> </p><p>A hand reached out and gently clutched her arm. Juliana looked up to see Valentina staring down at her with nothing but care in her bright blue eyes.</p><p> </p><p>Valentina had noticed her nervousness.</p><p> </p><p>“You’re with me.” She said.</p><p> </p><p>Juliana smiled. That reassurance from her girlfriend reminded her why she loved Valentina as much as she did. The older girl knew Juliana was sometimes uncomfortable surrounded by the grandeurs of her family’s wealth, but Juliana also knew Valentina was referring to how she was about to ‘meet’ Lucia.</p><p> </p><p>“Thank you.” Juliana whispered back. She then smiled when she felt Valentina’s lips brush her knuckles.</p><p> </p><p>“I love you.” Valentina said as she kissed Juliana’s hand.</p><p> </p><p>“I love you too.” Juliana replied, before looking away.</p><p> </p><p>No one could have ever told her how ‘I love you’ sounded when said by a person she loved unconditionally, and Valentina’s words caused another blush to creep onto her cheeks. Although she welcomed the feeling, she leaned into her girlfriend as she tried to hide her face from the world, causing Valentina to laugh at her sudden shyness.</p><p> </p><p>Eager to embrace her girlfriend, Valentina gently took hold of Juliana’s glass and set it down with hers on a nearby table. Now both her arms were free, with a laugh, she wrapped her arms around Juliana’s body and then kissed the top of the younger girl’s head.</p><p> </p><p>Juliana smiled at the touch. Ordinarily, she might have felt embarrassed about being so openly affectionate in front of the rest of Valentina’s family, but luckily, her face was too buried in Valentina’s to see or hear their reactions.</p><p> </p><p>The height difference between them was noticeable anyway, just enough for Valentina to claim she was the big spoon, at least most of the time. But Valentina’s heels were far taller than Juliana’s, meaning they had a pronounced height difference between them that evening. Juliana revelled in the fact she could bury herself into Valentina’s chest rather than neck, and even if the sequins on Valentina’s dress didn’t do much for comfort, the warm body behind them certainly did.</p><p> </p><p>They stayed in position for a few minutes, Valentina gently rocking them back and forth in time to the slow classical music that was playing. Just as one track finished and another began, the doorbell rang.</p><p> </p><p>Valentina immediately pulled back. She frantically looked between Juliana and the door but kept a tight clutch on her girlfriend’s hands.</p><p> </p><p>Juliana laughed quietly as she pulled herself further away from Valentina. She didn’t want their moment together to end, but needs must, she knew how much Valentina was looking forward to welcoming Lucia home. And why should she hold Valentina back from that?</p><p> </p><p>“You can go!” She whispered, before reaching up and placing a kiss onto Valentina’s cheek, providing her approval for Valentina to detach herself from their moment.</p><p> </p><p>Valentina still hadn’t moved from her position when Guille opened the door with a click. It swung back to reveal a waiting Leon and Lucia on the other side.</p><p> </p><p>Lucia was using crutches to stand up but looked mightily relieved to be there and grinned when she saw Guille. The sight of her stepmom at the door was all the encouragement Valentina needed, and she promptly let go of Juliana’s hands and started running towards the door.</p><p> </p><p>Juliana winced when Valentina nearly tripped over her own feet in her excitement of making it to her stepmom as quickly as possible. Maybe such tall heels weren’t the best choice of footwear, even if this was supposed to be a formal occasion.</p><p> </p><p>Valentina laughed it off as she jogged up to Lucia and gently hugged her stepmom, being careful to avoid using too much pressure. Juliana smiled as she watched them reunite before Lucia had even stepped inside. Leon obviously commented something to that affect, as two seconds later, Valentina detached herself from Lucia for a moment to let them walk forward a few paces and enter the house.</p><p> </p><p>Now that they were safely inside, Valentina hugged Lucia once more. Juliana grinned as she looked on. Valentina had visited Lucia in hospital on several occasions, but Juliana reasoned there was nothing like having her home, even if she was using crutches to hold herself up.</p><p> </p><p>As she watched Guille hug Lucia, Juliana noted that her girlfriend’s enthusiasm was unmatched by anyone else in the Carvajal household. Both Guille and Leon were slightly more stoic in their emotions, but Juliana could still see the relief on Leon’s face as he shut the door behind them.</p><p> </p><p>“Someone’s a little excited.” Renata commented as she sided up to Juliana as they watched Valentina jump up and down on the spot before hugging her stepmom for the third time.</p><p> </p><p>Juliana smiled back. If there was someone who understood her position, it was Renata. Through their respective positions as Guille and Valentina’s partners, they had started to develop a burgeoning friendship during the past few weeks of knowing each other.</p><p> </p><p>“You should have seen her earlier.” Juliana replied. “She’s been bouncing off the walls all day.”</p><p> </p><p>Renata laughed and then nodded.</p><p> </p><p>“While Guille is of course happy that Lucia’s home, I think he’s happier about the fact that Valentina will have someone else around to annoy.” She revealed.</p><p> </p><p>“I don’t know why he’s complaining.” Juliana replied as she smiled. “You’re off on your trip in what, two weeks?”</p><p> </p><p>“Two weeks.” Renata confirmed with a nod.</p><p> </p><p>Before Renata could respond any further, the Carvajal family had appeared in front of them. They were led by an overly excited Valentina slowly dragging a bemused Lucia behind her, hopping along on her crutches.</p><p> </p><p>“I’m sorry to interrupt.” Valentina announced proudly. “But I have some introductions to make.” She gestured between her girlfriend and Lucia. “Juliana, this is Lucia…” Valentina said as they politely shook hands with one another. “Lucia, this is Juliana.”</p><p> </p><p>“Hi Lucia.” Juliana replied. “I’m glad you’re home.”</p><p> </p><p>“Thank you, Juliana.” Lucia replied.</p><p> </p><p>Juliana smiled as she let go of Lucia’s hand. She felt the nerves begin to creep up again. Although she had met the woman before, the pressure was on to make a good first impression to her girlfriend’s stepmom.</p><p> </p><p>Valentina clearly could not contain her excitement and grabbed onto Lucia’s arm again as she struggled to stop herself from jumping up and down on the spot.</p><p> </p><p>“I’m so happy you guys have finally met each other.” She mused.</p><p> </p><p>Lucia gave Juliana an odd expression as Juliana smiled at her girlfriend’s behaviour. </p><p> </p><p>“Does Valentina know we’ve met before?” Lucia whispered, glancing between them. “Did anyone tell her?”</p><p> </p><p>Juliana let out a quiet laugh. Lucia’s comments and friendliness immediately made her relax while Valentina sighed in annoyance.</p><p> </p><p>“I told her that, but she wanted me to meet you properly, apparently.” Juliana explained, feeling the need to defend her girlfriend’s actions even though she also thought they were ridiculous. “She wanted to introduce me as her girlfriend for the first time.”</p><p> </p><p>“I see.” Lucia replied with a smile. “I thought we’d already got past that stage.” She let go of her crutch for a moment to reach out and squeeze Valentina’s cheek. Valentina playfully swatted her stepmom’s hand away with a roll of her eyes. Lucia looked back at Juliana. “But it’s nice to meet you, Valentina’s <em>girlfriend</em>.”</p><p> </p><p>Lucia winked at Juliana before nudging Valentina. Juliana smiled at the sight of an embarrassed blush that had appeared on Valentina’s cheeks.</p><p> </p><p>“Well, if we’re making introductions…” Guille said, butting into the conversation and sliding between the two women, before turning to Juliana with a grin. “Hi, Valentina’s girlfriend, I’m her older brother, Guillermo, but call me Guille.”</p><p> </p><p>“Juliana.” She introduced herself.</p><p> </p><p>Guille stuck out his hand and Juliana laughed as she shook it firmly. For the second time in a matter of minutes, she found herself shaking hands with someone she had already met.</p><p> </p><p>“Juliana!” Guille exclaimed, as if he had heard her name being said for the first time ever. “It’s so nice to meet you.”</p><p> </p><p>“Guille!” Valentina protested, stepping in and attempting to break their handshake apart. “Stop being an idiot!”</p><p> </p><p>Juliana laughed as Valentina got her way, and their hands broke apart, but Guille didn’t stop annoying his little sister.</p><p> </p><p>“It’s so nice you could join us tonight, Juliana.” He continued, ignoring the fact that his sister was currently pushing him further and further away from her girlfriend. “Valentina has told me so much about you!”</p><p> </p><p>Both Juliana and Lucia laughed as Valentina and Guille toppled over and collapsed onto a nearby couch. Guille started laughing hysterically but Valentina continued to frown, still clearly annoyed at her brother’s irritations.</p><p> </p><p>“You’re such an idiot!” Valentina said again, playfully punching him in the shoulder before rolling away from him and trying to stand up.</p><p> </p><p>Guille grinned and then retaliated by grabbing hold of his sister’s waist and pulling her back down onto the couch. He whispered something in her ear that Juliana couldn’t hear, and Valentina started laughing. Guille let go of her, straightened out his crumpled suit before sitting back down on the couch.</p><p> </p><p>Valentina sat down next to him and curled her legs underneath herself on the couch as Guille said something else to her. This time, his comment earned him another punch on the shoulder, and he started laughing again. Valentina huffed but then replied with a smile.</p><p> </p><p>Juliana smiled. Sometimes it was like the Carvajal siblings were children rather than adults.</p><p> </p><p>An amused laugh from her right reminded Juliana that she was not alone in watching the siblings play fight. Lucia was watching them too, heavily entertained by Valentina and Guille’s antics.</p><p> </p><p>“Have they always been like this?” Juliana asked.</p><p> </p><p>“Yes.” Lucia immediately confirmed Juliana’s suspicions. “For as long as I’ve known them, they’ve always been the silly ones.” She explained. “Eva inherited all the serious genes.” </p><p> </p><p>Both Lucia and Juliana smiled as they watched Valentina joke with Guille about something, laugh, climb off of the couch and then offer her hand to her brother, who accepted it before Valentina let go again quickly, causing Guille to fall back down again.</p><p> </p><p>Juliana turned to Lucia again.</p><p> </p><p>“Valentina definitely inherited some serious genes.” She said. “Tonight, for example… Val organised tonight and wanted to make it serious and formal.”</p><p> </p><p>“True.” Lucia agreed. “I really don’t know why she wanted tonight to be like this.”</p><p> </p><p>“I think she wanted to make it special.” Juliana replied.</p><p> </p><p>“Coming home to this is special.” Lucia replied with a wide smile.</p><p> </p><p>Juliana looked out at the scene playing out in the Carvajal mansion living room. Guille and Valentina remained sitting next to each other on the couch, laughing as they continued to annoy each other. Renata and Leon were smiling too as they sat nearby enjoying a more serious conversation. The delicious smell of whatever Silvina was cooking was wafting from the kitchen, the champagne was flowing, and the sound of the classical music still filled the room.</p><p> </p><p>Juliana felt peaceful. And for once, Valentina’s house didn’t feel cold.</p><p> </p><p>Juliana would have to agree with Lucia. This <em>was</em> special.</p><p> </p><p>“You look beautiful, by the way.” Lucia said.</p><p> </p><p>“Thank you.”</p><p> </p><p>“I can’t help feeling a little underdressed.” Lucia continued, letting go of her crutches for a moment to gesture to herself. “No one told me about how we had to dress up.”</p><p> </p><p>Juliana laughed and then shook her head in protest. Although Lucia Borges was dressed uncharacteristically casually, wearing jeans and a long sleeved red t-shirt, Juliana still thought she looked beautiful. And she certainly didn’t look like she had just been in hospital. Not a hair out of place and no obvious sign of any injuries, only the crutches gave her away.</p><p> </p><p>Juliana couldn’t quite believe that it had been less than a month since Lucia had been close to bleeding out on the front lawn of the Carvajal mansion. While Juliana knew there was a long way to go until Lucia was completely healthy again, having her standing here was nothing short of a miracle.</p><p> </p><p>Juliana smiled at the woman before looking down out of shyness. She quickly smiled when she spotted Lucia’s footwear.</p><p> </p><p>“Val would have killed me if I had worn my Converses.” She said with a sigh.</p><p> </p><p>Lucia laughed.</p><p> </p><p>“Leon stole them for me from Valentina’s wardrobe.” She explained. “He thought they would be the comfiest thing for me to wear home, which is true, I wouldn’t want to be wearing heels right now.” Lucia suddenly leant in close to Juliana and dropped her voice low. “Don’t tell Valentina though, she doesn’t know I’m borrowing them.”</p><p> </p><p>Juliana laughed quietly.</p><p> </p><p>“Have you seen her collection of shoes?” She answered. “Val has so many pairs she probably doesn’t realise they’re missing.”</p><p> </p><p>At that exact moment, Valentina came running up to them and threw her arms around Juliana. The excitement of the evening hadn’t left her, yet.</p><p> </p><p>“Are you two getting on?” Valentina asked suspiciously, narrowing her gaze as she looked between her stepmom and girlfriend.</p><p> </p><p>Juliana smiled and nodded but was surprised when Lucia shook her head and suddenly reached out to grab Valentina’s forearm tightly.</p><p> </p><p>“Valentina... your girlfriend is Jacobo’s daughter.” She murmured quickly in a panic. “Why didn’t you tell me?”</p><p> </p><p>Lucia let go and started laughing quitely. Valentina could only sigh as she realised she was once again being teased for introducing them even if they had already met.</p><p> </p><p>“Why is everyone being so mean?” Valentina complained with a pout before hiding in Juliana’s neck.</p><p> </p><p>Juliana giggled as she kissed the top of her girlfriend’s head.</p><p> </p><p>“We love you really.” She whispered into Valentina’s hair.</p><p> </p><p>“Thank you for organising this, Valentina.” Lucia added, smiling as she rubbed her stepdaughter’s arm.</p><p> </p><p>Valentina turned her head to the side and then reached out to hold Lucia’s hand.</p><p> </p><p>“I’m so glad you’re home.” She whispered.</p><p> </p><p>“Food’s ready!”</p><p> </p><p>Juliana looked up to see Silvina waiting for them down the hall in the dining room. The smell from the food was even better than it was a few minutes ago and Juliana smiled to herself. She hadn't realised how hungry she'd been until now. </p><p> </p><p>“Finally!” Guille exclaimed, jumping up from his seat.</p><p> </p><p>His child-like glee made everyone laugh as they started moving towards Silvina and the dining room. Juliana looked down at her girlfriend, expecting Valentina to be laughing at her brother as well. But instead she found Valentina staring at Lucia with a frown as she was helped along by Leon.</p><p> </p><p>“What’s up?” Juliana asked, instantly concerned by what had suddenly soured her girlfriend’s joyous mood.</p><p> </p><p>“Lucia?” Valentina asked curiously.</p><p> </p><p>Lucia looked back.</p><p> </p><p>“Yes?”</p><p> </p><p>Valentina narrowed her eyes.</p><p> </p><p>“Are those my shoes?” </p><p> </p><p>____________</p><p> </p><p>The next morning, Valentina woke up to an empty space beside her. Yawning, she dressed herself in a robe and crept downstairs to investigate where Juliana had got to. It was barely 8am, and they both had no commitments today, so Valentina was slightly annoyed her girlfriend had left her in bed alone.</p><p> </p><p>Her mood immediately changed when she spotted Juliana outside on the terrace eating breakfast alongside Lucia. When she reached the foot of the stairs, she paused for a moment to soak in the scene of her girlfriend and her stepmom bonding with one another. A newspaper lay on the table between them, and they were passionately discussing a news article, reading out parts of it to each other as they laughed together.</p><p> </p><p>She smiled as she approached and then put a finger up to her mouth when Lucia noticed her tiptoeing towards them quietly.</p><p> </p><p>Juliana nearly spat out her orange juice when Valentina came up behind her. Both Lucia and Valentina laughed as Valentina placed a few kisses on Juliana’s cheek before sitting down next to them.</p><p> </p><p>“Morning.” Juliana smiled.</p><p> </p><p>“Hi.” Valentina replied, finding it impossible to hide the grin on her face as she looked at her girlfriend.</p><p> </p><p>“Orange juice?” Lucia asked.</p><p> </p><p>“Yes please.” Valentina nodded.</p><p> </p><p>She pushed her glass towards the jug Lucia was holding and smiled some more. She was looking forward to this new routine every morning with the people she loved the most. </p><p> </p><p>.................</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Sorry for being a week late with posting this. Last week I was suddenly swamped with work and other life stuff and obviously Juliantina Appreciation Week took a back seat, I haven't even read all the other things that have been posted yet! Anyhow, I'm determined to finish this challenge of writing seven fics for the appreciation week, even if I didn't manage to write and post them all in a week. In my view that just means the fun is spread out over a longer period of time! :)</p><p>As always, please leave kudos or comment if you enjoyed this! </p><p>Come say hi on twitter @eleventhousands<br/>Or on tumblr @eleventhousandfour</p><p>Thanks for reading! :)</p></blockquote></div></div>
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